Profile

Lea Hage Chahine is an Associate with a practice focused on corporate and commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, investment funds, and banking and finance matters across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Lebanon.

She advises private equity firms, financial institutions, investment managers, insurers, and corporate clients on cross-border transactions and regulatory matters. Her experience spans the financial services, insurance, healthcare, technology, media, education, and energy sectors.

Lea also advises CMA-regulated entities on the establishment and structuring of public and private investment funds in Saudi Arabia. Her financing experience includes acquisition finance, Islamic finance, and asset-based lending, with particular experience representing borrowers.

Expertise
  • Corporate and Commercial
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Investment Funds
  • Banking and Finance
  • Capital Markets and Financial Services Regulation
Experience

Lea’s experience includes advising:

  • A Riyadh-based, CMA-regulated private equity firm on the acquisition of a significant minority interest in a leading Saudi fuel retail company.
  • An Abu Dhabi-based private equity firm on the acquisition of a 25.5% strategic interest in a private school operator in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
  • CMA-regulated financial institutions and investment managers on the establishment and structuring of public and private investment funds in Saudi Arabia.
  • A Saudi insurance company on its merger with a Saudi public joint-stock company operating across the cooperative, general, medical, and reinsurance sectors.
  • An international investment bank on the acquisition of a minority interest in a major medical laboratory group operating across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the wider MENA region.
  • An investment manager focused on Africa and Europe on the acquisition of a minority interest in a leading MENA language technology and services provider.
  • A Saudi investment management and banking firm on the establishment of a fintech platform.
  • A leading UAE-based media representation group on the acquisition of a minority interest in a Lebanese holding company with rights relating to an interactive Arabic digital food network.
  • A Saudi insurance company in connection with a rights issue.
Qualifications

Education

  • Masters in Management, École Supérieure des Affaires, Lebanon
  • LL.B., Saint Joseph University, Lebanon

Admissions

  • Attorney at Law, Beirut Bar Association, Lebanon
Languages
  • Arabic
  • English
  • French